Machine for splitting raw hides and skins.



PATENTED JUNE 11,- 1907.

J. W. DEGKERT. MACHINE FOR SPLITTING RAW HIDES AND SK INS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1905.

No. 856,395. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

I 6 J. W. DEGKERT. MAGHINB FOR SPLITTING RAW HIDES AND SKINS.

APPLIUATION FILED SEPT. 6, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FsytZ.

PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

J. W. DECKBRT. MAGHINE FOR SPLITTING RAW HIDBS AND SKINS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

U I [ill I 12 5 Q9 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' MACHINE FOR SPLITTING RAW HIDES AND SKINS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907 Application filed September 5,1905- Serial No. 276,987.

To all? whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES WILLIAM DECK- ERT, a citizen of the United States of America, residingin the town of Oakville, in the county of Halton, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, leather-splitter, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for S litting Raw Hides and Skins, of which the fo lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for splitting raw hides and skins, and the objects of my invention .are firstly, to splitraw hides and skins; secondly, to split both raw and tanned hides and skins quicker than is now possible with existing ma-- chines; thirdly, to get a cut of uniform thickness; fourthly to set or work the raw hide out and hold it in that position up to the point where it is brought in contact with the knife, and fifthly to provide accurate adjustment for the knife, and it consists of the parts 'cessfu'lly split it.

hereinafter described and more particularly set forth in the claims.

Figure 1 is a front-side elevation of my machine, parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a rear-side elevation. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line d b, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line cd, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line e- Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the member co-operating with t e cylinder. Fig. 7 is an enlarged cross-section through one of the rings of said member. Figs. 8 and 9 are enlarged details hereinafter referred to. Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of part of a clamping-plate, and Fig. 11 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 3, certain parts being removed.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

Before the hides or skins can be cut by the belt-knife machines now on the market, they must be tanned and passed through a setting out or stoning-machine. They are then mounted on a reel co-operating with the beltknife splitting-machine and fed therefrom to the knife. During the feeding operation of the work same must be kept spread out by an attendant at each side of the machine. Now by my machine I can take the work as it comes from the pickle, lime or bate and suc- By means of my machine I can also split tanned hides and skins that have been previously stoned out or set out, as will be hereinafter more particularly explained.

The drum, cylinder, or roller, carrying the work, and the member constructed of a plurality of revolving disks or rings, revolve at the same peripheral speed so thatthe work assing therebetween will be fed to the beltnife through the medium of both of its surfaces which travel at the same speed: so feeding the work to the belt-knife absolutely prevents it from being bagged or eockled up just before it is brought to the knife, thus enabling the machine to produce a split of uniform thickness. Where the work is fed to the knife through the medium of only one of its surfaces, it is apt to bag or cockle up just before it is brought to the knife; besides as one surface of the green work moves in advance of the other, the fibers are longitudinally stretched and through the action of the belt-knife a great deal of glutinous matter is liberated from the cells therein, thus gumming up the knife and preventing the machine from commercially splitting raw or green hides. In connection with the splitting of raw or green hides by my machine, the cylinder works or sets out the hide absolutely flat upon the non-stretchable surface of the drum or cylinder, and during this process more or less longitudinally condenses the fibers thereof; the work adheres to the drum and is carried thereby in this state underneath the member constructed of a plurality of rotating disks or rings which keep the work in its set-out or worked-out position, and in a condensed or hard state, by additionally, substantially longitudinally, compressing the fibers and only releasing the work at the splitting edge of the knife.

Therefore, through the action of my cylinder and said member thefibers are held in a condensed position and presented more or less at right angles to the knife, thus explaining the reason why the work is more easily split than when it is fed to the knife through the medium of only one of its surfaces.

A is any suitable rotary drum, cylinder, or roller which is mounted by the arms A on the shaft B held in bearings in any suitable head-blocks C and C. This drum, cylinder or roller may be of any suitable construction. According to the construction shown, the drum is constructed of an inner portion D made of wood or other similar material covered on the outside with metal E, preferably brass, so as to provide a positive, level bed and prevent any possibility of rust coming in contact with the work and also to provide an unstretchable bed for. the work to rest upon. When the work to be split is raw I use in conjunction with the drum any suitable cylinder E which is composed of its shaft It by means of which it is held in suitable adjustable bearings e held in the slots e in the head-blocks C and C, and a suitable foundation E keyed to said shaft. Suitably held in said foundation are a plurality of blades E which are constructed of material having sufficient flexibility to enable them to yield up on the thick portions of the work and to follow down and press on the thin portions thereof, thereby working or setting it out and keeping it close upon the drum. These blades will be preferably constructed of rubber, although I may use [any other suite able material that will give the required action. As willbe seen from Fig. 1, the blades are constructed spirally and that one-half of the cylinder will stretch or set out the work in one direction, and the other half perform the same function in the other direction.

This setting-out or stretching action of the cylinder upon the work is of course well known.

e is the power-pulley for the cylinder.

F is any suitable clamping bar having sliding movement on the guides F secured to the drum. As will be seen from the drawings, the drum is provided with a longitudinal slot F in which is placed one end of the work F so as to rest against the teeth or projections f secured to or forming part of the plate F which is attached to the drum. By means of the arm F and eccentrics F secured to the rock-shaft F (held in suitable bearings F secured to the drum) and the arms F (which are connected at their upper ends to the clamping bar by the pins G and in the lower ends of which said eccentrics operate), said clamping bar is moved on the'guides F so as to release the work or retain it in position.

By means hereinafter described, the drum is revolved in the direction indicated by arrow and, as the work passes underneath the cylinder E it is subjected to the action of the blades thereof and set out. In order to maintain the work in this set-out position I provide a member which I will term a ringroller G, hereinafter particularly described,

and which is made up of a plurality of sections constructed so as to conform to the varying thicknesses of the work and keep it set out and firmly upon the drum up to the point where the work is brought in contact with the knife, releasing it just at point of cutting. Mounted in suitable brackets C and C are the knife-wheels C on which operates the belt-knife C 1 By means hereinafshaft.

7 ter described, these knife-wheels are operated,

consequently operating the beft-knife C so that as the drum revolves and brings the work in contact therewith, a cut of the required thickness will be taken therefrom and will pass off in the direction indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 11. Each time the drum is revolved of course the Work is split.

By means of the hand-wheels G the bearings e of the cylinders E are raised or lowered so as to regulate the pressure of said cyl inder upon the drum. The ring-roller G consists of a plurality of members which are constructed as follows: Passing through these members is a common shaft G which is held' in the adjustable bearings Gr operating in the slots G formed in the head-blocks C and C By means of the handwheels G said. adjustable bearings Gr are raised or lowered so as to adjust the position of the ring roller G The outer portion of each member consists of a ring G intermediate which and the shaft G is a layer of resilient material G preferably rubber. As the ring-roller G will be held with sufficient pressure upon the work, it will be understood that the individual members composing same will follow the varying thickness of the work, that is, have similar action in this respect to 'the blades of the cylinder E, and thus maintain the work in the set-out or stretched position given it by said cylinder. sentially forming a separate part therefrom I preferably key to the shaft G a disk G for each individual member of the ring-roller between whieh and the ring G is the resilient material G It will be noticed that the inner perimeter of the ring G and the outer perimeter of the disk G are serrated as shown at G and G, thus insuring the positive circular movement ofall these parts, with their The ring roller revolves at the same peripheral speed as that of the drum, thereby feeding the work to the belt-knife through the medium of both of its surfaces, which travel at the same speed. Of course by different means or construction other than the serrations before mentioned, I may obtain the result desired.

H are tie-plates bracing the upper portions of the head-blocks together. As the pressure exerted against the ring-roller G will be quite considerable, I prefer to use means to prevent same from being moved out of alinement and thus insure it coming in contact with the Although not eswork for its whole length. My preferred means for this purpose consists of stiff plates I secured to the tie-plates H and extending one on each sideof the ring-roller as shown in outer ends against the top inner sides of said plates so as to maintain them at the required that I can regulate the wear of their lower ends more uniformly than otherwise. One of said plates only is shown adjustable, as it was not considered necessary to duplicate this construction for the other plate as its application thereto will be readily understood in the head-blocks c by one skilled in this art.

The cylinder is always revolving in the direction indicated by arrow, and the beltknife is also moving in the direction indicated by arrow. By means of the pulley J on the counter-shaft E power is conveyed to the machine.

J is a standard providing the necessary bearing for the outer end of the shaft E J 2 is a gear-wheel keyed to the shaft E and meshing with the gear-wheel J 3 (having hearing on the shaft J held in the standards J by means of the intermediate gear-wheel J 6 held in the shaft J 7 which has bearing in the it andards J one of which is shown .dotted in J 9 is a bevel-pinion keyed to the shaft J of the associated knife-wheel C. By the gearin just described, power is conveyed to the kmfe-wheel so as to operate the knife.

K is a pulley keyed to the shaft E and transmitting power by means of the belt K to the pulley L keyed to the shaft M held in suitable standards N and O.

N is the lower grinder-wheel keyed to the shaft N havin bearing in the bracket N suitably secured to its associated head-block.

N is a pulley keyed to the shaft M which by means of the belt N transmits power to the pulley N keyed to the shaft N N is a pulley keyed to the shaft M which means of the twisted belt N conveys plower to the shaft N by means of the pulley keyed thereon. N is the other mderwheel which is operated by the shaft N is any suitable bracket in which the shaft N has bearing and is suitably secured to its associated headb'lock.

N is the usual support for the knife whereby it is held in osition at the point of operation of said grin er-wheels.

On one end of the cylinder-shaft B is ke ye a sprocket-wheel O which transmits energy by a sprocket-chain O to the sprocket-wheel O keyed to the'stub-shaft 0 having bearing The energy is transmittedfrom this stub-shaft b means of the sprocket-wheel O ke ed t ereon to the sprocketewheel 0 keys to the stub-shaft 0 By so adjusting these plates I find (also journaled in said head-block) through the sprocket-chain O Keyed to the shaft 0 is a ear-wheel O which meshes with the gear-wlIeel O on the end of the ring-roller shaft G The above-described gearing revolves the drum or cylinder A and the ring-roller in the same direction, and the individual wheels composing the gearing are so proportioned that the ring-roller and said drum or cylinder will revolve at the same peripheral speed so that by means of these two members the work will be fed to the belt-knife through the medium of its two surfaces which travel at the same speed.

The power-receiving end of the drum-shaft B is provided with any suitable frictionclutch P. By means of the sprocket-wheel P keyed to the shaft E and the sprocketchain P power is conveyed to the sprocketwheel P co-operating with said frictionclutch. According to the position of the friction-clutch shown in Figs. 1' and 2, the drum is rotating. When the clutch is to be thrown out of operation, the lever B associated therewith is thrown in the direction. indicated by arrow, thus enabling the drum to be sto ped. I have of course shown and describe suitable gearingfor transmitting ower to the different parts of my machine 1n order to ex lain fully my invention, but it will of course e understood that I do not confine myself to any particular means for operating my machine.

Q is a tie-plate for additionally bracing the upper ends of the head-blocks C an O Secured to or forming part of this tie-plate is a guard Q which prevents the water and dirt thrown by the cylinder from coming in contact with the operator. I curve the lower end of this guard so as to provide by means of which the material collected therewithin drains off to the sides of the machine. I

As the drum rotates and brings the work around to the back of the machine there may be a possibility of its free end slipping therefrom and comin in contact with the knife.

In case the wof'lt does fall away from thedrum, I provide a guard Q} secured at both ends to the tie-rods Q bracing the lower portions of the head-blocks. Upon inspecting Figs. 3 and 11 it will be seen that this guard allows ample room for the passage of the knife and effectually prevents the work from coming in contact therewith.

I shall now describe the knife-jaw. The head-blocks are provided with rearward-extendin portions Q to which is suitably secured t e jaw-bed Q. This jaw-bed is preferably adjustable. In order to make it adj ustable I provide slots 9 in its ends Q, in which operate the screws Q, held in the rearward-extendin ortions Q. Secured to or forming part 0 t e ends Q are ribs Q, which a trough Q operate in correspondingly-shaped slots Q formed in the head-blocks. These ribs operating in their slots insure the horizontal movement of the jaw-bed. By merely loosening the screws Q it will be understood that the jaw-bed can be adjusted in or out. R is the lower member of the knife-j aw and is provided near its lower front portion with a socket R which has movement on the ball-shaped rib R secured to or forming part of the upper forward edge of the jaw-bed. Formed in the lower member R of the knifejaw is a slot R in which operates the bolt R. When itis desired to tilt the knife closer to the drum, the nut R of the bolt R is loosened, and the bolt R operating through the web R of the jaw-bed and normally resting against the lower member R of the knife-jaw, is screwed upward thus tilting said lower member -R and its associated,

parts around said ball-shaped rib R By means of a socket-head R secured to or forming part of the bolt R (which bolt extends through the web R and operating in the socket R formed in said lower member R,

- the bolt R is prevented from interfering with this movement. When the necessary adjustment is obtained, the nut R is screwed home. In case I should desire to move the knife away from the drum and nearer the ring-roller, it will be understood that it is only necessary to lower the bolt R and tighten up the nut R R are pockets by means of which the attendant has free access to the bolts and nuts extending thereinto.

Of course it will be understood that by means of the construction just described for the tilting of the lower member R of the knife-jaw, I am enabled to justment for the knife. j

S is the usual plate counter-sunk in the lower member R of the knife-jaw and is secured in place by counter-sunk screws S.

S -is the usual plate counter-sunk in the under side of the upper member S of the get very nice adknife-jaw, and is secured in place by counter-sunk screws S; Between these plates the belt-knife O of course operates.

S is a narrow plate extending the length of the knife-jaw and abutting against the rear side of the belt-knife. this plate adjustably in contact with the knife, I operate between the members of the knife jaw, plates S at stated intervals: These plates are secured to blocks i 7 inthe slots S of which operate the heads S con nected to the screws S .by the constricted neck S". flange S of the lower member R, and by means of the lock-nut S are held in the set position. Where the blocks S operate, the members R and S of the knife-jaw are cut away so as to provide aachamb'er S By means of this series of plates S and their In order to keep:

These screws thread through the that the plate S can be given variable movement so as to insure the cutting edge of the belt-knife being parallel with the drum.

It will be understood that the constant friction of the knife on the, platesS and S wears these plates until they become gradually thinner toward their front ends. weight of the knife will naturally keep it down upon the lower plate S and as the u per plate S has been also worn away, t e knife will not be confined thereby at worn area and will more or less wabble, rendering it impossible to obtain a proper split. In order to compensate for the wear of these lates Iuse the following means as my preerred construction. As there are two adj ustable-means similar in construction, the description of one will do for both. Threaded in the lower member R of the knife-jaw is a plug T in the socket-shaped top T. of which operates the socket-shaped washer T upon which the rearward portion of the member S of the knife-jaw rests. The bolt T is provided at its u per end with a socket-shaped top T which as mo vement in a correspondingly-shaped recess in the washer T To move the plate S down upon the belt-knife in order to confine it properly, the bolt T is loosened and the plug T is moved by means of its -head T upward, thus shoving the washer T against the under side of the upper member S of the knife-jaw, the plug T being previously lowered, this giving the said upper member and its plate S the necessary movement. Previous to this of course the bolt T of the associated adj usting-means must be loosened. When the required adjustment is obtained, the bolts T and T are screwed home. The adjustment just described confines the belt-knife and maintains its cutting-edge in the position it assumed by reason of the wearing away of the plates S and S In order to move the cutting edge of the belt-knife back into the posit on where it best performs its function, the lower member R of the knife-jaw is adjusted, as before described. By meansof the ball and socketjoints before described and the slots in the washers T and T and the slot tin the lower member R, the requisite construction is provided for the movement of the adjustingmeans for the u per member of the knifejaw. As there is a s ace T between the lower member R of tie knife-jaw and the Web R of the jaw-bed, the adj usting-means for said knife-jaw are easily gotten at.

As the ring-roller Gr keeps the work set The ICC

out up to the point where same is brought in 7 contact with the belt-knife, it will be understood that were there not adjusting-means to take up the wear. of the plates S and S the wabbling or uneven movement that the beltknife C would gradually acquire because of the wearing away-of said plates, would make it impossible to get a cut of uniform thickness. But by adjusting these lates the movement of the cutting edge of the beltknife will always be parallel to the drum.

It will be noticed that the upper front side U of the member S is curved so as to offer as little resistance as possible to the passing of the split ortion of the'work thereover. By means 0 any suitable table U (shown in dotted lines), secured to or forming part of the jaw-bed, the split portion of the work is prevented from coming in contact with the ad justing-means for the knife-j aw.

In order to enable the drum to be adjusted to or from the cylinder E the ring-roller G and the belt-knife, and to enable me to maintain it parallel with these parts, I mount its shaft B in any suitable adjustable bearings. According to the construction shown, the head-blocks C and C are provided with slots V in which 0 erate the bearing-blocks v V consisting of a ower member V and an upper member V connected together by screws 1): In these bearing-blocks the shaft B rotates. In order to kee the members V 2 and V of the bearing-bloc 's in position relati ve to their associated head-blocks, same are rovided respectively with flanges o and m w ich overlap the horizontal sides of the slots V and give the necessary bearing.

W are adjusting-screws screwing through the head-blocks and'upon which the bearingblocks V rest. When it is desired to move the drum upward, the screws W operating in the head-blocks and resting upon the top of said bearing-blocks, a're loosened and the screws W screwed upward. When the necessary adjustment is given the screws W are screwed down again. The headblocks are cut away at Z and m so that the heads of said screws W and W may have the necessary space for movement. In order to move the drum backward or forward, the lower member V of the bearing-block is constructed with its front side V extending upward and sufliciently in advance of the main portion of said member and the upper member V so as to leave a s ace V in WhlOl'l operates .the' head V of t e screw V o crating for me to use the cylinder.

through the extension'V of the hea -blocks. In the front side V is constructed a vertical slot V in which operates the screw V By means of the flange or enlarged portion V on said screw, together with the head V (which flange and head extend beyond the sides of the slot V), the adjustment in and out of the screw V will move the bearingblocks V Upon referring to Fig. 11 it will be seen that I have removed the cylinder E When the hide or skin has been previously tanned and set out or stoned out, it is not necessary Having been already set out, the work passes underneath the ring-roller G and is maintained in the set-out position during the splitting thereof by the belt-knife.

Upon referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that I attach the hide or skin to the drum at its butt end, taking advantage of the projections thereat to clamp it in position so as to reduce to a minimum the waste. I also find that better results are obtained in setting out the 1 hide or skin when it is operated upon from the butt end to the head end.

Insplitting-machines now on the market, the cut passes underneath the knife and the rest of the work passes above same. Now in my machine it will be understood that the cut passes above the knife and the rest of the work passes underneath same.

For the purposes of interpretation of the claims and specification, the term drum there-.

in must be read to include a roller or cylinder or any other element that will perform the function performed by said drum.-

When the hide or skin comes from the pickle, lime or hate the action of the cylinder 1n my machine will work out all dirt and lime and any other matter that must be removed.

therefrom.

Upon referring to Figs. 3 and 11- it willbe seen that the lower member R of the knifejaw is constructed with an inward curve where it faces the drum, thus allowingfree passage of the unsplit portion of the work thereby. Upon inspecting these figures it will also be seen that the jaw-bed Q is a suf ficient distance away from the drum so as not be come in contact with the work.

I do not confine myself to the construction herein shown and described, as same can be changed or altered in various ways without de artin from the spirit of my invention.

at claim as my invention is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a belt-knife, and means for 'movementof each other in substantially parallel planes so as to conform to the thickness of the work under manufacture, and

means for causing said rings or disks to positively rotate in the same direction as said rotary member and at. the same peripheral speed thereof so as to positively feed the work through the medium of its two surfaces to said belt-knife.

2. In a machine of the class'described, the

combination with a belt-knife, and means for operating same, of 'a' member, operating;

abutting disks or rings upon said shaft, re-

above and in advance of said knife and comprising a revolving shaft; a' plurality of silient means interposed between said rings or disks and said shaft so that said rings or disks will have independent movement of each other substantially at right angles to the shaft and in conformity with the thickness of the work under manufacture; means for causing said rings or disks to positively rotate with said shaft and yet not interfere with their movement in conformity with the thickness of the work under manufacture, and a rotary drum the said drum and member positively rotating in the same direction and at the same peripheral speed so as to positively feed the work through the medium of its two surfaces to said belt-knife; the said. member releasing the work ust about at point of splitting.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the jaw-bed provided at its upper forward edge with a rib circular in cross-section, of a knife-jaw comprising a lower member provided near its lower front portion with a socket-in which rests said ball-shaped rib so that the lower member may have tilting movement on-said jaw-bed,

and being further provided with a slot having a socket-shaped upper portion; an adjusting screw held in said jaw-bed and operating against said lower member; a screw provided with a socket-shaped head operating in the socket-shaped top of the slot in said lower member .and held in said jaw-bed whereby said lower member is held in its adjusted position; the upper member of said knife-jaw; means for holding it in relation to said lower member, and a belt-knife operated between themembers of said knife-j aw.

' 4. A member for hide-working machin'ery comprising a shaft; a plurality of disks secured to or forming part of said shaft and each provided with a serrated perimeter; a

ring for each ofsaid disks the inner perimeknife-jaw in relation to said jaw-bed through the medium of the lower member of said knife-jaw, and the belt-knife operating between the members of said knife-jaw:

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a member, of a knifejaw designed to have tilting movement upon said member and comprising an upper and a lower member; means for adjusting the members of said knife-j aw in relation to each other so as to provide for wear; means for adjusting said knife-jaw in relation to said member through the medium of the lower member of said knife-j aw the belt-knife operating between the -members of said knifejaw, and means for horizontally adjusting said belt-knife so as to maintain its edge sub stantially in a fixed path of movement.

7. In a machine of the class described, the

. combination with a horizontally-adjustable of the lower member of said knife-jaw, and

means for horizontally adjusting said beltknife so as to maintain its edge substantiallyin a fixed path of movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES WILLIAM 'DEOKERT. 

